Indonesia conducts a test flight using a mixture of jet fuel and palm oil

[ASEAN NOW Content Team]

 

According to a senior minister, Indonesia performed its first test flight using jet fuel made partially from palm oil on Wednesday, with the country planning to commercialise the fuel as it finds new ways to use the edible oil domestically.

The plane went over 100 kilometres (62.14 miles) from Jakarta to Bandung, a neighbouring city.

 

"As the world's largest producer, Indonesia must innovate in the use of palm oil, especially in the creation of biodiesel, bio jet fuel, and the continuation of the D100 programme," economic minister Airlangga Hartarto said at a virtual conference, referring to Pertamina's palm oil-based diesel.

Indonesia now has a required biodiesel scheme called as B30 that contains 30% palm oil.
The administration wants to increase the use of vegetable oil for energy while reducing petroleum imports.

 

The bio jet fuel used during the test flight only had 2.4 percent palm content, but Indonesia has ordered that this be boosted to 5% by 2025, according to a 2015 rule.

Despite the fact that biodiesel reduces carbon emissions greatly, environmentalists are concerned about deforestation as a result of land clearance for palm oil production, and the European Union is considering banning biodiesel containing palm.